Dispensing device



April 7, 1970 A. B. LOWRY 3,504,862

DISPENSING DEVICE Filed Jan. 5, 1968 llll lll 28' lI |G.6

United States Patent U.S. Cl. 239-565 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A dispensing nozzle for an aerosol dispensing package is adapted to be mounted on the valve stem of the package. The nozzle has a body member that is received on the stem with a central passage 0.060 inch in diameter that extends to a top surface in which is formed a 0.340 inch diameter distributor groove and three radial channels. A disc, secured on the top surface of the body member, has three discharge orifices formed in it, each 0.009 inch in diameter. Cylindrical passages, each 0.010 inch in length, connect the distributor groove to the discharge orifices and the disc surface beyond each orifice is conical.

Summary of invention This invention relates to dispensing packages of the aerosol type and more particularly to discharge structures for use with such aerosol dispensing packages.

In this type of package a propellent is confined with an operative ingredient in a container which has an outlet that is closed by a valve. Operation of the valve opens the outlet for ejection of the ingredient under the pressure of the propellent in a fine aerosol mist. Such dispensing packages have substantial advantages and have found commercial acceptance for dispensing many different types of materials. Frequently, however, the operative ingredient is dispensed in such a fine mist that it has no detectably significant impact or penetration. An example of an ingredient which desirably should have significant penetration is a hair grooming preparation. Increasing the size of the discharge orifice, while reducing the fine mist characteristics of the discharged ingredient, tends however to increase both the drop size and the amount of material discharged so that an objectionable wetting and dripping effect results.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel and improved discharge structure for use with aerosol containers which increases the apparent penetrating effect of the ingredient released by the operation of the dispensing package while retaining the advantages of an aerosol type of discharge.

In accordance with the invention there is provided a dispensing structure for an aerosol type dispensing package that has an ingredient stored therein under propellent pressure and an actuable valve provided with a discharge passage for releasing the ingredient from the package. The dispensing structure includes a body member having at its base a socket portion for receiving the valve actuator stem of the associated aerosol container and a passage extending through the body member away from the socket. The discharge structure further defines a plurality of discharge orifices. A distributor section provides communication between the passage in the body member and the discharge orifices for transmission of the ingredient discharged from the package through the valve stem to the discharge orifices for ejection in a concentrated spray. The material ejected from this dispensing structure creates a feeling of greater impact and penetrating power than when ingredient is discharged through a single discharge orifice arrangement that has a cross-sectional area in the same order of magnitude as the total cross-sectional area of 3,504,862 Patented Apr. 7, 1970 the plural discharge orifices employed in the structure constructed in accordance with the invention.

In a particular embodiment of the invention the discharge orifices are formed in a disc member seperate from the body member and the disc is snapped into place secured in contact with a surface of the body member such that it cooperates with the body member to define the distributor section. That distributor forces a 90 change in flow direction at the end of the passage in the body member at the junction between the body' and the dis charge orifice disc. A set of identical discharge orifices are symmetrically located in the disc at points equidistant from the body passage. Further, each discharge orifice defining structure in the disc includes a short passage of about the same length as the diameter of the orifice so that an aerosol discharge of fine particles of the ingredient is created from each of the orifices which particles are then concentrated ,so that the ejected particles create a feeling of significant impact and penetration.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be seen as the following description of a particular embodiment progresses, in conjunction with the drawing,

in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of an aerosol dispensing package which incorporates the-invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the dispensing structure employed on the aerosol dispensing package shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a modified form of orifice disc (taken along a line similar to the line 3-3 of FIG. 2); and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 5 of still another modified form of discharge orifice disc.

With reference to FIG. 1 there is shown an aerosol container 10 having an upper end wall 12 in which a valve structure of conventional configuration (not shown) is secured. This valve structure may be of any suitable type, for example either .a depressable type or a tiltable ty'pe. Disposed on the actuator stern of the valve structure is a discharge structure14 that includes three discharge orifices 16. A transparent cap 18 is positioned over the discharge structure for protection during shipping and when the dispensing package is not in use.

With reference to FIGS. 2-4, the discharge structure includes a body portion 20 having at its base a socket 21 which receives the stem of the valve actuator (indicated in dashed lines) in firm interengagement. A discharge passage 22 extends upwardly through body 20 from socket 21 to an outlet port at the center of the top surface 24 of body 20. On that top surface 24 is formed a circular distributor groove 26 and three distributor channels 28 which extend' radially from central passage 22 to annular distributor groove 26. Surrounding surface 24 is upstanding wall portion 30 which includes an inwardly protruding lip 32. At the base of body 20 is a depending apron 34 which limits the motion of body 20 and the interaction of the body and valve actuator stem.

In this particular embodiment central passage 22 has a diameter of 0.060 inch; socket 21 has a diameter of 0.150 inch; distributor groove 26 has a radius of 0.170 inch; and the configuration of each of the radial channels 28 and the distributor channel 26 is a half circle of 0.020 inch diameter.

A discharge orifice structure is formed in disc 40 in which the three discharge orifices 16 are formed. Disc 40 has a thickness of 0.055 inch and its bottom surface is planar. Each discharge orifice 16 has a diameter of 0.009 inch. The length of each cylindrical discharge passage extending to orifice 16 is 0.010 inch and the disc surface beyond the orifice is conical having an angle of 120. This discharge disc is snapped into place so that it is securely seated on surface 24 by lip 32. It will be noted that the body passage and distributor section dimensions are selected so that the principal flow restriction occurs not at the points of change in flow direction but at the discharge orifices themselves. Further, the dimensions of the disc and body are such that no particular relative radial orientation of the two components is required.

The materials of both the body and the discharge disc in this embodiment are a suitable organic plastic material such as an acrylic resin (e.g. Lucite).

The difference in distribution of the spray from a conventional single orifice nozzle and the nozzle constructed in accordance with the invention may be seen by comparing a pattern of spray at a distance of eighteen inches produced by a standard 0.013 inch diameter single orifice nozzle and the pattern of spray produced by the discharge structure shown in FIGS. 1-4 when substituted for the conventional nozzle on the same aerosol dispensing package, the duration of discharge and the distances being the same in both cases. The dispersion is substantially greater and the particle size is smaller with the single orifice arrangement than with the discharge structure constructed in accordance with the invention even though each individual discharge orifice is of smaller diameter and the total cross-sectional area of the three discharge orifices is only slightly greater than that of the single orifice in the conventional nozzle.

A number of modifications of the discharge structure will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, the discharge disc may be made in symmetrical configuration having an even number of discharge orifices 16 as indicated in FIG. 7 or the discharge disc may be of the configuration shown in FIG. 8 in which both the distributor groove 26' and the radial channel 28' are molded in the distributor disc along with the discharge orifice 16". Therefore it is not intended that the invention be limited to the disclosed embodiment or to details thereof and departures may be made therefrom within the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A dispensing structure for an aerosol dispensing package having an ingredient stored therein under propellent pressure and having a valve stem provided with a discharge passageway for releasing the ingredient from the package,

said dispensing structure comprising a body member having at its base a socket portion for receiving the valve stem of the associated aerosol container, a passage extending through said body member away from said socket portion, structure defining a plurality of discharge orifices, each said discharge orifice being defined by the end of a passage of length substantially equal to the diameter of the discharge orifice, the total cross-sectional area of said discharge orifices being substantially less than the cross-sectional area of said body passage, and a distributor section including a plurality of radially extending channels, the total cross-sectional area of said channels being less than the cross-sectional area of said body passage and the effective cross-sectional area of each channel being greater than the effective crosssectional area of each discharge orifice, said distributor section providing communication between said body passage and said discharge orifices for passage of the ingredient discharged from said package through said valve stem to said discharge orifices for ejection in a spray of particles of greater concentration than the same ingredient discharge through a single discharge orifice having a cross-sectional area similar to the total cross-sectional area of said plurality of discharge orifices.

2. The dispensing structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said discharge orifice defining structure is a disc element having said plurality of discharge orifices arranged symmetrically therein and said body member includes retaining structure for securing said disc element in contact with said body member so that communication is provided between said body passage and said discharge orifices.

3. A dispensing structure for an aerosol dispensing package having an ingredient stored therein under propellent pressure and having a valve stem provided with a discharge passageway for releasing the ingredient from the package,

said dispensing structure comprising a body member having at its base a socket portion for receiving the valve stem of the associated aerosol container, a passage extending through said body member away from said socket portion, structure defining a plurality of discharge orifices, each said discharger orifice being defined by the end of a passage of length substantially equal to the diameter of the discharge orifice and including a flared outlet surface beyond each said discharge orifice from the orifice defining passage, the total cross-sectional area of said discharge orifices being substantially less than the crosssectional area of said body passage, and a distributor section including a plurality of channels extending radially from said body passage to provide communication with said discharge orifice defining structure, said distributor section providing communication between said body passage and said discharge orifices for passage of the ingredient discharged from said package through said valve stem to said discharge orifices for ejection in a spray of particles of greater concentration than the same ingredient discharged through a single discharge orifice having a crosssectional area similar to the total cross-sectional area of said plurality of discharge orifices.

4. A dispensing structure for an aerosol dispensing package having an ingredient stored therein under propellent pressure and having a valve stem provided with a discharge passageway for releasing the ingredient from the package,

said dispensing structure comprising a body member having at its base a socket portion for receiving the valve stem of the associated aerosol container, a passage extending through said body member away from said socket portion, structure defining a plurality of discharge orifices, said discharge orifices being of the same configuration and being symmetrically located about a discharge axis defined by said discharge orifice defining structure, the total cross-sectional area of said discharge orifices being substantially less than the cross-sectional area of said body passage, and a distributor section including a series of channels extending at right angles from the direction of flow through said body passage to produce a change in flow direction at the end of said body passage, said distributor section providing communication between said body passage and said discharge orifices for passage of the ingredient discharged from said package through said valve stem to said discharge orifices for ejection in a spray of particles of greater concentration than the same ingredient discharged through a single discharge orifice having a cross-sectional area similar to the total cross-sectional area of said plurality of discharge orifices.

5. The dispensing structure as claimed in claim 4 wherein each said discharge orifice is defined by the end of an orifice defining passage of length substantially equal to the diameter of the discharge orifice and further including a flared outlet surface beyond each said discharge orifice from the orifice defining passage.

6. The dispensing structure as claim in claim 5 wherein said discharge orifice defining structure is a. disc element and series of channels are formed in the wall of said body member at the opposite end of said body passage from said socket portion, said body member further including retaining structure for securing said disc portion in contact with said channels to define a series of distributor passages leading from said body passage to 10 said discharge orifices.

7. The dispensing structure as claimed in claim 6 wherein the cross-sectional area of said body passage is greater than the total cross-sectional area of said channels and the efiective cross-sectional area of each channel is greater than the effective cross-sectional area of each discharge orifice,

6 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,334,911 3/1920 Lampkin 239-558 X 2,753,953 7/1956 Tear 239-552 3,120,348 2/1964 ODonnell 239596 X 3,347,423 10/1967 Rahn et a1. 222402.l3

FOREIGN PATENTS 531,339 8/1955 Italy.

ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner H. S. LANE, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

